What to do with Older Chickens in Utah

Buying or building a chicken coop is growing in popularity with people buying up baby chicks to provide home grown eggs and avoid fluctuating egg prices. Before you jump on board, there one thing that is crucial to consider.

Chickens Stop Laying Eggs After a Few Years

Interest in raising chickens at home has surged with online searches. People are buying up baby chicks at a frantic pace. Before you head to C-A-L Ranch or IFA to buy some baby chicks, you need to have a plan for the future.

You should know what you are going to do with your chickens when they stop laying eggs. These birds only produce eggs for two or three years, but they can live for several years after that. Will you continue to feed and take care of them?

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I grew up on a small farm and I have friends who have some acreage with animals currently. It is not uncommon to have people drop off unwanted animals at night or at odd hours hoping you will take care of them.

Backyard farmers don't know what to do with older chickens when they no longer lay eggs. Canva

Locations in Utah that Will Take in Unwanted Animals

Dropping your older chickens at some farm is not a good plan. You should think htis through before hand. There are places that will home your older birds like Willows Farms in Utah, but they are few and far between.

You might factor in caring for your older chickens when you begin. Plan on where they will stay and the feed required for them to live out their days. They can have a positive impact on keeping order with your younger birds.

The other option is to harvest older birds for food. They are tougher and are usually used to make soup. We have gotten away from this part of farming and many people do not feel comfortable processing their older chickens.

Take some time before you jump into buying a chicken coop to figure out how this will all play out. It might be better for you and the chickens to continue to buy eggs at a store.